Bolivia - September 2025

On 17 September, the Legislative Assembly passed a bill banning child marriage, which was promulgated later that month. The bill abolished an exception previously established in the Families Code that provided that children 16 and 17 years of age could get married (with adults or other 16- or 17-year-olds) with parental consent or judicial authorization. According to official data, over 4,800 teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 married or joined a union in cohabitation between 2014 and 2024. In practice, children of younger ages were also married or were forced into non-legalized unions (most of them being girls). The bill’s sponsors highlighted its significance to address concerning rates of school dropout, gender-based violence, poverty and teenage pregnancy, particularly in rural areas. According to the National Health System, nearly 3,000 girls under the age of 14 gave birth in Bolivia in 2024; 240 of those were under 10 years of age. 

Sources: Infobae, El Pais, BBC, EFEminista, Pagina 12